


It's Quiet Uptown

by darter



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Angst, Coping with Death, Guilt, Scout doesn't come back to life, Spoilers, alternate ending to Naked and the Dead, kind of?, scout's mom's name in this is Julia btw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:40:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26395789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darter/pseuds/darter
Summary: He never liked the quiet before.
Relationships: RED Spy/Scout's Mother, Scout & Spy (Team Fortress 2)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 30





	It's Quiet Uptown

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a one-shot heavily based on the Hamilton song "It's Quiet Uptown." A bit of an au, I guess, considering this fic is written as if Scout never came back to life after dying in "The Naked and the Dead." Regardless, I hope you enjoy :)
> 
> (I do not own rights to the lyrics used in this fic.)

It was late. Far later than anyone should’ve been walking the dimly lit streets of Boston, yet there he was. He was the only one out, save for a few others.

_There are moments that the words don’t reach_

When they had told him his contract was officially up, he had intended to go back home to France. It had been many years since he had been there, after all. But nothing was waiting for him back in France. Not even a house. So he went to Boston. He had someone to see.

_There is suffering too terrible to name_

When he called her after—when called her, he explained everything that happened. How he had been there in the last moments of their baby boy’s life.

_You hold your child as tight as you can_

As she cried, all he could think about was his child in his arms. In that moment, Scout had seemed so small. His blood was soaking the ground and covered Scout’s hands. He seemed so calm, like he didn’t understand how close he was to death’s door.

Jeremy’s blood had gotten on his suit. He didn’t care.

Julia, his sweet Julia, wailed over the phone in agony. He heard her other sons rushing in the room to see what was wrong, but they couldn’t do anything to console her.

_and push away the unimaginable_

Despite the anguish, she had displayed her righteous anger. The mercenary life was never the life she wanted for her son.

“I’m doin’ it for you, ma,” he had said. “Ya gave me the best childhood any ol’ Boston boy coulda asked for,” he had said. He sent her back money every time he got a paycheck.

She had told Spy of her disapproval and tried to get the man to convince their son otherwise. She knew his reasons for hiding his identity from Scout, but she wanted so terribly for her son to leave and find a different job. A job that didn’t require killing and being killed. Spy never once attempted to persuade his son into leaving.

How he wished he had.

_…learn to live with the unimaginable_

He promised to call her when he arrived in Boston but he found himself waiting. He could not yet face her. So instead, he walked the streets every night. Thinking over everything he could’ve done different. The silence, though it left him alone with his thoughts, was almost…serene.

“It’s quiet uptown.” He never liked the quiet before.

He had always put on a show, pretending that Scout’s consistent talking annoyed him to no end. And while Spy definitely had his limit, he always loved it when he could hear

him. Hear his stories. Hear him talk about growing up, everything Spy had missed out on.

_If you see him in the streets, walking by himself, talking by himself, take pity_

“Jeremy, you would like it uptown. It’s quiet uptown.”

_He is going through the unimaginable_

He walked the same path every day, accompanied by the silence. He wondered if the locals were beginning to notice. He didn’t mind if they did.

_They say he walks the length of the city_

It was his fourth night walking the streets. Just like every other night. Except he hadn’t expected to run into her.

Yet there she was. Sorrow clear on her face, as well as anger, which he knew was directed at him. She was still as beautiful as the day he first met her.

Spy had been running long enough. He should’ve come back much sooner. He shouldn’t have waited until it was too late. He slowly walked over to her until they were standing face-to-face.

“Look at where we are, look at where we started. I know I don’t deserve you, Julia. But hear me out, that would be enough.”

When she didn’t turn to leave, Spy continued.

“If I could spare his life, if I could trade his life for mine, he’d be standing here right now. You would smile, and that would be enough.”

Spy’s demeanor was slowly falling, emotions he had held back for many years desiring to make themselves known.

“Just let me stay here by your side. That would be enough.”

Julia seemed to contemplate for a moment, her face never changing. Spy was sure she was going to leave him, as he deserved, but she instead turned and stood beside him.

They silently resumed their walk.

_If you see him in the streets, walking by her side, talking by her side, take pity_

“Julia, do you like it uptown? It’s quiet uptown.”

_They are going through the unimaginable_

“What was he like, when you were workin’ together?” she had asked him.

“He was often times loud, energetic, maybe loved his job a bit too much,” Spy said. “But he was also kind, understanding, and would’ve done anything for his friends.”

He saw her eyes tear up, unable to hold in her sorrow and anguish any longer.

_They are standing there together_

_and then she takes his hand_

“It’s quiet uptown.”

_Forgiveness_

_Can you imagine?_

Spy felt the tears begin to build up in his eyes. Very soon, they fell down his face.

That never used to happen before.

_If you see them in the streets, walking side by side, talking side by side, have pity_

_They are going through the unimaginable_


End file.
